PETA: Asheville's Plant restaurant has one of top vegan desserts in the country

ASHEVILLE — In advance of Valentine's Day, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, better known as PETA, selected the best vegan sweets from restaurants and bakeries across the U.S.

Asheville's Plant has secured a sweet spot among the top ten for its cannolo, a handmade anise shell filled with a candied-orange vegan ricotta.

It's odd timing, said Plant chef Jason Sellers, who recently took the item off the menu after about seven years to focus more attention on other desserts.

But fear not, connolo fans: consider it a secret menu item. You can still request the dessert; it's just available for takeout only.

"We don't have any plans to put it back on the menu," said Sellers, who explained the restaurant is moving into providing more items for retail, like those cannolo, as well as his line of house-made vegan cheeses.

The kitchen is also putting more love into desserts like the vegan blackout pie, which now comes on a pretzel crust and is served with a whipped peanut butter and coconut-based vanilla-bourbon ice cream.

Those are the types of desserts Sellers said could make some customers literally cry. "Sometimes people bawl," he said. "(They say), 'I thought I'd never have a cannoli again, or ever have a dessert this rich again.'"

Plant is booked for Valentine's Day, but winter hours have the restaurant serving dinner Wednesday-Sunday, and closed Monday-Tuesday, at 165 Merrimon Ave.